Vacuum-tube electric apparatus.



D. McF. MO0RE. VACUUM TUBE ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION TILED FEB. 7, 1906. I 1,008,728. Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET INVENTOR .Ddfll6/ //7' Fa f/0I1 001'8 BY WM WITNESSES."

A NORA/[Z5 1). MOE. MOORE. VACUUM TUBE ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-7, 1906.

Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A) WITNESSES:

lNl/E/VTOR .Darnel m Er/nn [floor-e.

1 Arron/v55 1). MOE. MOORE. VACUUM. TUBE ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION IILED FEB-7, 1906.

Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

3 BHEETB-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES:

1,008,1i28. J y

- UNI ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL MoFARLAN Moons, or uuwhnx, NEW JERSEY, nssrenon T Moons. ELEC-TRICAL coMrANY, or NEW YORK, N. Y., A conronn'rlou'or NEW YORK.='

VACUUM-TUBE ELECTRIC ArrAnA'rUs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14., 1911'.

To all tvhom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, DANIEL MCFARLAN Moons, a citizenof the UnitedStates, and resident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State "of NewJersey, with ,post-oflice address 52 Lawrence street, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum-TubeElectric Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to vacuum tube or vaporelectric lamps,vacuum or vapormectifiers, X-ray tubes, vacuum: oscillographs, wirelesstelegraph receivers and other devices which are provided with suit ableelectric terminals-whereby electric energy may be passedthrough thegaseous contents of the tube for any'purpose and which. generally may beclassified under the head of vacuum tubes.

In a previous application for patent filed by me Aug. 21st, 1905, I havedescribed a method of maintaining a practically uniform gaseouscondition within avacuum tube by feeding gas from a source of gas underpressure in a determinate regulated amount into the tube through arestricted opening or openings or by means of a valve automaticallygoverned by'changes in the gaseous condition within the tube. Asdescribed in said application, the gas is fed from a pipe sealed to thetube at any point, although, I have shown it as consisting of a singlefeed tube connected to the vacuum tube at or about the middle thereof inorder to secure a more uniform distribution 'of the gas than would bepossible if the connection were made near one end only.

My present invention consists among other things in feedingthe gas intothe tube at both ends thereof near the electrodes or in the case of atube of great length to feed the gas into the tube at a number ofpoints,

in order that there may be a more even dis- 'tribution of thegas fedinto said tube.

.To prevent a short-circuiting of the electric energy through the gasfeedtubethe terminals of which are connected to the tube at pointsacross which a considerable difi'erence of potential exists, I interposein' said gas column. finely divided non-conducting material either insolid or loose state, but preferably consisting ofa mass of granularmaterial, said material being pervious to the gas. When such material isprovided, find that the tendency to short My invention consists furtherin certain details of construction and combinations of apparatushereinafter more particularly describedand then specified-in the claims.

. For the purpose of setting forth my invention, I shall describethe-same as applied to a vacuum tube lamp into which gas is fed at bothends.

in size one-half. Fig. 3 is a plan of the same i 85 the circuits andapparatus in one of its apparatus. Fig. 4is a general diagram of forms.Fig." 5 is a general diagram illustrating a modification of thecircuits. Figs.

6, 7 and 8 show. in detail various devlces that may be used forpositively determining the rate of flow of gas into the tube without theuse of any automatic valve action, but in a manner to maintain apractically uniform gaseous condition within the tube. Fig. 9 shows amodification wherein the valve is worked by changes in the magneticcondition of the transformer, which supplies electric energy to thetube. Fig. 10

shows another form of valve which may be employed for feeding vacuumtube.

1 indicates the tube of glass containing air or other gas or vapor to bemaintained in constant condition as to tension orother quality and whichgas or vapor in the case 105 of a vacuum tube lamp is rendered lum1-nous by the passage of the electric energy.

The electrodes 2 are shown as internal electrodes, but might be externaland are located within enlarged terminals of the tube 110 air or othergas to the 1. Said terminals together'with the transformer or otherdevices supplyin high tension 'energy tothe 'tube are'inc osed in asuitable insulating and'fireroof box or casing- 18 from which the'tube 1of glass projects and extends: to any desired distance and in anydesired direction. 3 isa secondary of the transformer supplying hightension energy to thetube and at aprimarycone,

nected'to alternating current mains ,5. The

invention is notfhowever, limited to tubes run by alternating currents,but isalso applicable totubes operated by continuous currents. Theterminals of the tube may besupported within casing 18 by suitableclips19 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

H 20 is a tank located preferably inthebox 18 and containing. nitrogenor other gas according to the character of light desired.

Tank-20 is connected by a flexible or other pipe 21 with the vacuum tubethrough 'devices for feeding the gas from the tank in the determinate orregulatedamount neces-' sary for keeping the gaseous tensionwithin thetube constant. I v

22 is achamber also by preference located in box 18 and containing anairdrier such for instance as chlorid of calcium, and a filteringmaterial such. for instance as cotton packed in the 'ends of the chamberand inclosing'the chlorid of calcium. Airm'ay be takenthrough saidchamber 22'and stopcock 23 to a flexible pipe 21 from which'it may bedeliveredin the regulated amount to the vacuum tube as will be desired.Ob-

' viou'sly the air drier might be placed at any 69' -said energymay tendto pass without circu-lating through the vacuum tube. Said desired pointin the connections leading from the source of gas to the tube.

6 is a tube into which the air or gas is slowly and gradually fed and.fromwhich it passes into the vacuum tube'l at any'desired point orpoints. It is desirable to feed the air or gas into the vacuum tube .atboth ends thereof, especially when said tube is' of great length inorderto obtain a uni-- formity of gaseous condition throughout .the tubeand prevent it," in the case of a lamp, from being brighter at one endthan at the other. To accomplish this, the tube 6 branchesinto'the'tubes J6 connected to the vacuum tube as shownwithin the box18.

When the tube 1 is of great length, there would be a tendency todiversion of the elect'ric energy from one terminal of the vacuum tubeto the other through the comparatively short length of tubing 6,whoseendsconnect at points between which there is a great difference ofelectrical potential. To avoid jtl lis, a mass of material 24 perviousto gas is located in the gas passage through which Q,.- i1i'ateria-l.f24may be solid or sub wide Imechanically, but is preferably a armaterial-of an insulating character such for instance as fine beachsand. This material is .pervious to the air or gas but acts to preventthe diversion of the electric energy through the connecting tubes 6'. Italso acts'to prevent the high poten- 70 tial's from working back fromthe vacuum tube through the feed tube or tubes to the valve and tank. Apacking 26 of fibrous 1 material, preferably glass fiber, may be usedto" reta-inthe sand'or other granular materia'l in place. The feedingofthe air-or gas into the tube6 in the requisite amount or at the desiredrate may be produced by'the use of a valve acting to close or open aport or passage, one or more in number, and said port' or passage orpassages may be through a mass of porous material, immersed in a liquidlike mercury,'whose level is changed to produce a valve action or saidvalve may be a valve com osed wholly of solid material as will bepresently described- The slowor regulated feed may also be produced bypermitting the air or gas to flow or percolate constantly through a massof porous material or1through a minute opening or leak of any characteras for instance at the edge of the port in a plug or taperedyalve,-whose faces are well oiledso as to secure the presence of a filmof oil for the gas to pass through. V

In .case the feed of the gas is controlled by valve action, 'thefollowing valve construction may be used: 7 is amass of porous material]preferably consisting of rather 1 dense arc light carbon. The denser thecarbon, the less: the length of the mass 7 through which the gas isrequired to pass.

The mass 7 is seated as a stopper in the end 7 of a tube 8 joined totube 6 and located in a chamber 9', preferably of glass, forming avalvechamber with which tube 21 or 21 connects: In-fthechamber 9 is a body ofliquid such as mercury surrounding the .mass of porous material 7 andleaving the H0 upper -terminal of the same exposed or adapted to beexposed by a slight change of level of the liquld 11 brought about inanydesired ,way, as for instance, by the operation of a plunger or liquiddisplacer 10 imthrough which gas under pressure may leak into andthrough the mass 7. As indicated in Fig. 6, the mass might have its'tip'constantly -exposed, the minute "leakage being determined by the smallsize of the tip and the length of the mass. "It is preferred to may be120 works in the samebody of liquid in which the tip of the valve properis located and .is exposed to the same pressure of incoming gas, it isobvious that any changes in such pressure will not affect the height ofthe liquid so as to disturb the adjustment of the valve and the samewill, therefore, work in a uniform manner in response to the action ofthe magnet and irrespective of variations in the pressure of the body ofgas constituting the source of supply.

The displacer 10, Fig. 1, may be operated by means of an. electromagnet16, the laminated core of which indicated at 12, is held in a tubularextension of the tubular displacer 10 by a contraction 13. The tube orchamber 9 is supported within the casing 18 by clips 17 An adjustment ofthe vertical position of the displacer to determine the extent to whichthe tip of the mass 7 shall be normally exposed above the level of theliquid may be secured by adjusting the position of the coil 16 of theelectromagnet vertically on the tube 9 by means of a screw 15. Mercuryis preferred because it forms an efl'cctivc air seal and does not clogthe pores of the porous mass 7.

The automatic action of the valve thus constructed and in response tochange of gaseous condition within the tube 1 may be obtained byconnecting the electromagnet 16 to theelectric circuit of the lampeither by placing it in the primary connection from the constantpotential mains 5 as shown in Fig. 4 or by connecting it into thesecondary circuit of the transformer as shown in Fig. 5. As is wellknown, there is a critical tension or degree of vacuum in the tube atwhich the resistance to the passage of electric energy through the gasfrom one elec-; trode to the other of the tube is at its lowest. If thevacuum increases beyond this critical point, the resistance increasesbelow ithe degree of vapor or gastension at which the resistance andcurrent change from a decreasing value of resistance and increasdegreeof vacuum should be maintained as near as possible to the point wherethe resistance is least, "though sufiiciently below such point to avoidthe possibility of changes of tension extending over to the degree wherethe resistance will increase with an'increase of the vacuum. When thenthe vacuum in the lamp becomes slightly higher through continued actionof the electric energy upon the gaseous contents, and the resistancedecreases, slightly more current flows through the magnet whichthereupon causes the height of the liquid level to fall by lifting thedisplacer 10. This permits mg value of current, but for economy thegasto flow through the tip of the plug or pencil 7 into the lamp untilthe normal gaseous condition therein is restored so that the magnet willlet the displacer 10 fall a am.

The transformer may be either what is known as the core type as shown inFig. 9 or the-shell type as indicated in. Fig. 10 and may be supportedin a frame 37 within the casing 18. The core 12 which operates thevalve. instead of being "operated by a coil 16 independent of thetransformer, may be operated by changes of magnetic condition in thetransformer itself as indicated in these Figs. 9 and 10 in which casesit is located in an opening or partial break in -the magnetic circuit 29of the transformer and is lifted by any increase in the lines of forceflowing; By this means thetransformer'is made to operate also as aneffective steadying inductance since the increased current flow throughthe tube, which brings the core 12 into action tooperate the valve, alsoproduces an increase inth'e self-inductance of the transformer itselfthereby cutting down the flow of current to the tube.

In Fig. 10 a simple form of valve having no liquid is shown. 32 is aplug of brass or other metal closing the end of tube 6, through whichair may be fed to the vacuum tube. Said plug 32 is centrally perforatedand the mouth of the perforation is closed when no air flows by a disk33 which is made spring 40 aided by gravity to close the valve.

Screw 41 adjusts the action of the spring. The valve is opened byincrease in the mag netic lift upon the core 12. The frame 30 attachedtothe core 29 supports plug 32. and guides. As shown the device feedsair but by inclosing the parts to form a valve cham her and connectingsaid chamber with a tank, any desired gas may be fed to tube 6 and tothe vacuum tube.

Referring to Fig. 1 and the form of valve shown therein, it willbe'obvious that the constancy of condition in the tube 1 can bemaintained by an adjustment of the parts such that each excursion 0ftheplunger to and fro will result in an uncovering and complete coveringof the tip of the plug or the tip may be at all times exposed and theaction be by an increase and decrease of thetube, as a whore,inverted,,or by other means the mercury v11 isremoved. This permits thegas pressure to become'high up to the "stop-cock 25. When the lamp isagain set up .for use after shipment, the correct amount'of mercury isfirst'poured into the glass tube 9 and thenthe stop-cock 25 is verygradually opened, that is, by slowstages, so, that the tube graduallyuses up the air'which was entrapped between the bottom oftheflporousplug. 7 and the st0pcook 25. After it is all'used up, whichcan j" be determinedin .a number of .ways, but

principally by the appearance of'the light, the stop-cock will beturned-on full, and the feeding of the gas to thetubewill then becomeautomatic, as before described. [The-f gradual adjusted flow maybeobtained without movement of the valve-by using a stopbe near to theedge 'of the port in the valvecock 28, Fig. 7 and setting the samesothat the edge of the port running through it will body, so as .to 1permit an extremely slight leak through the film'of oil or grease ontheadjacent surfaces, a slow. and continuous flow of gas in the requisiteamount to maintain the standard gaseous condition inthe tube may beproduced. The same action mightbe secured by the peculiar form of valveshown in.Fig. 8 in which the port or 'holecorresponding to port ispacked with 34 indicates an mductive resistance inter- Q posedpreferably inthe primary circuit of the transformer {for the purpose .ofsteadying the light. This inductive'resistance is supported in a frame36 within the casing 18 and-is of the shell type. 'Its' two coils 3'5arein-series with one another and'are wound to produoea consequent polebetween tliem in the core or portion of the core to which they areapplied, and are adjustable to and By this adjustment to from oneanother. vary the magnetic leakage the self inductive effectof the coilsmay-be varied and the in- -York and State of New York this I As shown inFig. 9 thev steadying resistance, the transformer and the means foractuating the valve may be combined in one instrument. By locating thegas tank,-which' is preferably of metal, within the casing 18,

the danger of fire or of damage from contact with said tank arising fromaccidental working back of the high potentials through the' tubes orpassages connecting the vacuum tube and tank, is effectually avoided.The said box or casing 18 is in fact a danger proof box or case and bythe location of the transformer and other parts which may have therequired high potential of its secondary within said box, the apparatusis made to meet .therequirements. of fire underwriters and is free fromobjection on the score of possible fire -or harm touching the parts. 7

In the foregoing descritpion and in the claims appended,'ttl 1e term gasis to be understood, as including the aeriformucom dition of any solidor liquid and commonly admission of the gas by an automatic Valve topersons.

action controlled through changes of the gas or vapor tension within thetube. 7

2. The combination wit "a vacuum tube operated by alternating currents,of a steadying inductance of the shell type hav ing a pair of coilsadjustable with relation to oneanother on the magnetic circuit of theinductance, as and for the purpose described. Signed at New :York in thecounty of New 22d day of January D. 1906. Y

T DANIEL MCFARLAN Moons:

Witnesses:

' O. T. TISCHNER, Jr.,

LILLIAN Bnom).

